Linotype-machine.



PATENTED MAR. 3, 190a F. B. CONVERSE, JR. LINOTYPB magma APPLICATIONFILED M A Y 16 1907 witwwou 1 4 PATENTED mmis. 1908. F. B CONVERSE, J11,

LINOTYPE MAGHINE APPLICATION FILED MAY 19.07.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Linotype-Machines, of which t aspecihcation.

rectly by the depressionof the key, thereby tend to move the escapementto and fro in -;mercial Mergenthaler linotypes, with only UNITED STATESPATENT OFFIC FRANCIS B. CONVERSE, JR, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT,ASSIGNOR'TO"MERGENTHALER LI NOTYPE COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK. i

. LINOTYPE-MACHINE.

No. sso,77e.

To all whom it may concern: Be itknown thatI, FRANCIS B. CoNvnRsE, Jr.,of the city of New Haven, county of New Haven, and State of Connecticut,have invented a new and useful Im rovement in fie following is hisinvention has reference to linotype and similar machines whereinmatrices or dies, stored in channels in a magazine, are, during thecomposition of the lines, discharged by means of escapements operatingto release a matrix each time the corresponding key of a connectedkeyboard is depressed. On account of the sensible lapse of time requiredfor a matrix, after its release, to pass beyond the retaining pawls ofthe escapement, and on account of the resistance of fered to themovementof the escapement by the weight of a full channel of large matrices, ithas heretofore been found desirable to operate the escapements by means4 of power-' actuated mechanism which gives a dehberate and controlledmovement to the escapement, the depression of the keys of the keyboardserving simply to release the connections of. the escapements to thepower mechanism.

The object of this invention is to provide an escapement which shall beoperated di' avoiding the complications of the intermediatepower-actuated mechanism; and which shall require but a minimum of forcein the operation of the key, giving a touch which does not sensiblyvary, whether the channel is full of matrices or nearly empty; and whichshall res 0nd, moreover, to the quick, staccato tone of many operatorsof this class of machines.

To this end itconsists essentially of an escapement having pawls theengaging faces of which are beveled to meet'corresponding bevels on thematrices, in such manner that the-weight of the column of matrices shallthe directions necessary to release the successive matrices, incombination with a suit able connection with the key-lever of a key-"board, to control its action, as hereinafter I more particularlyillustrated and described.

In the drawings 1 have, forthe purpose of illustration, shown myimprovement asapplied to the matrices vof the well known com-Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed May 16. 1907- SerialNo. 373.919-

such modification of the matrices as is re- Patented'March 3, 1908.

quired oy the CSSGIlCfQf tlljlliVGDtlOIll 1t is to be understood,howev'en'that'it is a plicable to any form of matrix whichfmay e made topresent therequisite qualifications. Referring to thedr'awings,'Figures"1 and 2 are vertical cross sec' tions' through amagazine and attached escapments', showing the escapement in twopositions of its operation- Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the sameparts.

Figs.'4 and 5 are, respectively, a cross-section and a rear elevation ofan alternative form of the escapement-operating means.

In the drawings, (1' represents the matrixof the familiar form, withears projecting edgewise at the upper andlower ends, except that thelower faces of the" two ears or lugs on one side of the matrix arebeveled, as shown at a and a These matrices are stored, one uponanother, in channels formed by grooves oppositely cut on the innersidesof two plates,

b and 6 secured together at the properdistance apart and forming jointlythe magazine. The magazine is fshownas standing in a vertical position,but'f-it 'may be inclined. Secured to the back 'of them'agazine;near-itslower end, is the-bar'cHhaving slots c 'cut across its face adjacent tothe magazine, one of these slots being in line with each of the magazinechannels. Wi'thin these slots, piv- -otedcentrally on .a rodc whichextends the length of the bar, are the'one-piece escape ments 0. Theseescapements consist each of a flat piece of steel ofthe form shown,

having integral therewith-the pawls c and c the upper faces ofwhich-arebeveled at c "and c at an angle to correspond to the-angle ofthe matrix ears. Formed in the side of an extension 0 on thelower end ofthe escapement is the concentric groove 0 pivotally connected tothelower ends of' vertically sliding reeds d. 'These reeds are flat barsguided near their upper ends in slots in the bar (P, and carry attheir-upper ends the studs (2 which project-into the grooves c of theescapements. L The normal position of the parts .is shown y, engagingthe lowermost matrix by T-the,

in Fig. 1, the reed being in itslowest' position :40 i 4 and show amodified form of theweight of the matrices tourge the pawl out- Q I wardbut the partsare maintained'in the position shown by the stud dinterlocking with the substantially vertical portion of thegroove 0 Whenthefinger-key is depressed and the reed raised, the lug traverses thisgroove, cooperating with'the thrust of the "matrices to swing the 'upperpawl of the escapement backward from] the magazine, thereby releasingthe matrix. The same movement brings the: lower pawl into the path ofthe matrix, immediately below the 'ower edge of the magazine, sto pingthe descent of this matrix and those a ove it, until.

upon the release of the key, the escapement is a sin returned to itsnormal position. The. position resulting "from the depression of the keyis shown in Fig. 2. When the key ,is released, the weight of the reed,acting through, the stud d on the inclined portion 0 x the groove 0 withwhich 'it'is at this time in g g'githe matrix on the lower pa w1 ofthe-escape ment to return the escapement tQltS normal 1 engagement,cooperates with the; thrust of position, thereby releasing the lowermatrix andcausing the upper pawl to pass into the path of the upper earof the succeeding matrix to intercept it'in the position shown posit on,the-studld passes back 1nto the As the escapement returns to thisvertical portion of'theg'roo've c9, effectually 7 locking the escapementagainst movement underthe impact of the descending matrices as they arearrested by the upper awl. The released matrix, on passing out o themaga- ,-zine,falls into a channel e, formed between at the front by acover-plate e, I

ducts the matrix to an assemblage channel of plates 8 mortised -intoaplate e, and inclosed which conany convenient form, as indicated at fe.

' connection between the reed and the escape- ,ment, the magazine,matrices and esca ements being the same as. heretofore. e-

-ments, and are at d and d at an angle substantially the scribed exceptas below pointed out. In. theseres, the 'escapements' are shown withtheir upper and lower endsbeveled at 50 and-c in o posite directions atan an le .ofsubstantially forty five degrees.

posite to the slots 0 carrying the escapecoverlate d. Projections formedon the reed a ove and below'thebar 0 are beveled same as the angle ofthe adjacent end of the escapement. lhe faces (1 and d of theseprojections act as limiting stops for" the v reed by engaging the bardownward and upward movement of the c. The vertical face d of the up erprojectionofthe reed overlaps by a sma 1 amount of the upper end of the{sionof: the

necessity for springs to cause any '1 e reeds are guided at their upperends'in slots (1 formed on the outer face of the bar 0, op-

held in place by the ,fixed the vertical face escapement @(hfidflflh tothe. bevel c",- and holds the escapement normally 1n the. inactiveposition shown.

thispositiofldfthe parts, the bevel (1 stands away from the bevel cof'the escapement ermit the corner (1 a sufiicient distance to topassiofl the 'verti'ca face of the escapement, when the reed is raisedby the depresmeets the bevelof the lowercnd of the-escapement. Further uward movement of the reed causes a we ging action between the lowerangular facesofthe feed and the finger-key, before the face'descapement, which cooperates with the thrust ofzthe matrices, to swing,theu per pawl of the esca ement out. of thepat of the matrices; uringthis upward movement swings under, the bevel d .of the reed insubstantial enga ement therewith r QThe -ment of ,the reed, the bevel 0of the'escape- Q matrix thus release drops upon the lower,

pawlof the escapement, whereupon, when the finger-key is released, thewedging action between theupper bevels of the reed and the escapement,as the former descends, 'cooperof the second matrixin the channel, asindicated in Fi 2, and at the moment the lower matrixis re eased by thelower pawl, the cornerd of the projection of the reed is a proaching thecorner; at the bottom of 't e u er bevel of the escapement. Henceit 'foows that while the matrices in the chane nel are falling a considerableportion of their length,.before being intercepted b the es- I capement,thereed will descend t e necess'ary small additional distance to bringits corner (1 behind the vertical face of the es capement tolockthe-latter in its inoperative position.

In the escapementsherein described, the art of the action is entirelydis ensed'wit the depression of the rey by the operator, the movementsof the parts are occasioned by the action of gravity onthematrices andthe reed, cooperating with each other to give movement to the esca ementI have found by ex eriment thati the escapement awls Beside and t e earsof the matrices are bev'e ed at an angle of about thirty-degrees, theoutward thrust on the escapement becomes just about suific'ient toovercome the frictional resistance between the matrix ear and theescapement. Hence it follows that force only a little'more thansufiicientto raise the weight of the reed need be applie'd to the key,and

this amount .of force is practically unaffected by the weight of thematrices on the escape-. ment. Moreover, the reverse movement of theescapement being occasioned entirely by the action of ravity, thematrices are given time to pass however quickly the key is re eased ater its depression, gravit acting to accelerate boththe matrices and t ereturn movement of the con 'tion' which'does not exist when springs areused to return the Parts to their normal positions,

The essence of my. invention residesin so formin andarranginfig therocking escapement t at its to and o the escapement or the matrices,orboth, be-

bev ed surfaces,

Whilel prefer to provide the beveled-surfaces" on both the matrices andthe escape-- ments, it will .of course be understood that the' devicewill be operative when the beveled surfaces are confined to either ofsaid parts, provided they are given the properinclination.

It will be-manifest to the skilled mechanic that the form and arranement of the parts may be widely modifier? without changing theprinciple of action or passing beyondthe limits of my invention.

anism adapted to control a passing line of matrices and release themoneat a time, in

which, by means of beveled surfaces, the

weight and impact of the passing matrices are utilized to effect the toan fro movements ofthe escapement; and. the first mechanism in which amoving matrix acts posi- --tively to move an esca ement to such positionthat it will engagethe next matrix.

Having described my-invention, I claim and desire to secure by LettersPatent, 1. 1, The combination of matrices having beveled surfaces and acentrally pivoted escapement having beveled surfaces to coop! eratetherewith, substantially as described and shown; whereby the passingmatrices are caused tourge the escapement to and fro.

2. The combination of a channeled maga- 'zine, matrices guided thereby,a centrally pivoted escapemenghaving beveled surfaces at opposite endsto cooperate withthe passing matrices, and means for controlling thevibration of the escapement; whereby the matrices are caused to urge theescapements to and fro, and the escapements controlled eyond the escaement. awls escapement at the-same relative ratesamovements will becaused or assisted by thevpassing matrices;

ing provided to this end with inclined or I believe the present to bethe first mechto prevent the improper release of the matthe same,gravitating matrices having beveled surfaces, and 'a centrally pivotedescapementhaving its endsarran ed to contact with said surfaces; wherebyt e matrices are caused to, urge the escapenfent to and fro.

3. In combination with means for guiding 4. In combination. with acentrally pivoted escapement and finger-key connections for operatingthe same, matrices having beveledsurfaces to act upon and assist inmov-- ing the escapement; wherebythe passing matrices are caused toassist in moving the escapement, thereby reducingthe labor required toactuate the key.

5. In combination with acentrally pivoted escapement-having beveledsurfaces at its ends, an actuating device adapted to lock the escapement1n its normal position; whereby it is prevented from moving accidentallyunder the Weight of the matrices.

means for guiding the same, a series of gravitati-ng. matrices and avibratory escapement to control their 6. In combination wit descent, thecontacting surfaces of the mat rices and escapeinents being inclined inrelation to the path of the matrices, and a movable escapementcontrolling device, the contacting surfaces between said-device. and theescapements bein described. 1

7. In combination with a vibratory escapement having" an inclined groove0 a" reciprocating reed d having astud' to enter said 'oove.

to an a slot and pin connection between said parts; whereby the reed isenabled to positively control the movement-of the escape&

ment in both directions.

8. n combination with a pivoted vibra-' escapement, the reciprocatingreed d;-

g inclined; substantially as

